NEW BRUNSWICK—In an attempt to collect 1,000 pints of blood to exceed the Northeast college record which they presently hold, and at the same time raise fund for Haiti, Rutgers University students are sponsoring a campus-wide drive on Thursday, Feb. 11.

NJ Blood Services in New Brunswick, a division of the New York Blood Center, will be collecting blood at four campus locations and donating $2 per donor to the UNICEF Haitian relief fund.

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Students, faculty, alumni and community residents are being urged to roll up their sleeves and donate blood between 4 and 11 p.m. at College Avenue Recreation Center, Sonny Werblin Recreation Center on the Busch Campus, the Livingston Recreation Center or at the Cook/Douglas Gym.

Last year Rutgers set the Northeast record by collecting 882 units of blood, beating the previous record set by Drexel University in Pennsylvania.
This year, each donor will receive a Rutgers pint glass which will be filled with ice cream after they donate. Raffles will also be held throughout the drive to include prizes such as an Old Man Rafferty’s gift card; a $25 gift certificate for Christopher’s Restaurant at The Heldrich; two tickets to any Crossroads Theatre Company production; six State Theatre Tickets for Le Grand Cirque; gift certificates from Due Mari; gift certificates from Panico’s, Redwood Florist for a dozen Valentine’s roses, Tula Lounge dinner for two, Clydz Restaurant, and Rutger’s Health Services for $25 of non-prescription pharmacy items.

“Rutgers University has always been significant in donating to our blood supply,” said Executive Director of NJBS Chuck Grossenbacher. “We commend their efforts in supporting our need for blood during this critical shortage and urge residents of the nearby communities to join them and donate at one of the campus locations on Feb. 11.”

New Jersey Blood Services, which supplies blood products and services to 60 hospitals throughout the state, says that the need for blood has increased beyond expectations.

“Hospitals are in special need of Rh negative red cells (A-, B-, and O-) and we are aggressively recruiting donors who can fill this need,” Grossenbacher added. “Every day in the U.S. approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities to treat patients with cancer and other diseases, to support organ transplant recipients and accident and trauma victims.

“Everyone has an obligation to donate blood, at least once a year and Rutgers University is certainly doings its part to meet the need.”